


Edge of The board

by MrUndisclosed



Series: NSR- Withinfinite [2]
Category: No Straight Roads (Video Game)
Genre: Embarrassing banter, Hints of equally saucy things, Hints of some very dark things, Lots of talk of old flames, Two people talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:14:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29294238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrUndisclosed/pseuds/MrUndisclosed
Summary: Tatiana wants to talk with Zuke, her choice of topics make him wish she'd stop talking, please. Or he'd be happy to just stop existing in this instant! Please!
Series: NSR- Withinfinite [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151441
Comments: 3
Kudos: 17





	Edge of The board

**Author's Note:**

> A semi-sequel to the other NSR fic I'll be sure to add them to a collection shortly. The gist is EVE's got plenty going and so does Zuke, Tatiana has some secrets and well she felt like it was time a couple of them talked. Just a shame she sometimes broaches ODD topics.

“Your office doesn’t have a door.” Zuke walked into Tatiana’s office to find the older woman not sat behind her expansive desk but a much smaller chess table. 

“Yes, I did away with it.” Tatiana said sliding pieces around on the board. “A new era for NSR means a new style of management. One without boundaries and freedom to come and go as needed.” 

Zuke nodded and whistled slowly. “That view is just breathtaking.” 

“It is, isn’t it?” Tatiana turned to see Viynl City stretched out ahead of them, the ocean beyond that. A sea of colours and district aesthetics warring for space. “It used to haunt me, Zuke. When the power dipped and I was sitting here in my tower, watching the darkness swallow the city.” The clack of chess pieces moving. “Do you play?”

“Not well.”

“Oh I’ll enjoy this then, sit down please. We’ve been needing to talk for….oh much longer than either of us has known.” Tatiana wasn’t asking and so he sat down. “White or black?” 

“Umm…”

“White.” Tatiana spun the board around to give him access to the white pieces. “You get to go first, might help things seem easy. Do you know how the pieces move?”

Zuke caught that...help things “seem” easy. “Is it the bishop one or the castle man that moves diagonal?” Zuke asked, pointing at the pieces. Tatiana held up her bishop and moved it diagonally. Then her rook and moved it forward, backward, left and then right. “Thanks. The rest I remember.” 

“Not a chess player?” 

“The Zuke household was more Monopoly and Hungry Hungry Hippos.” Zuke said and Tatiana nodded her head to one side. Zuke looked at her and realized Eve might be the only woman he knew he was taller than. Tatiana was...broad shouldered, she wasn’t what Zuke would describe as feminine. But she had an aura, captivating, the kind of likeness that drew you in, you could imagine her at the front of an army. 

Which well...that’s where she started. Before she became the company man. What a twist that is, rebel rocker turns hardcore control freak. She’s wider at the shoulders than he is, those little glasses on her face always seem to have an eerie light behind them. A campfire, a fireplace, the last smouldering remains of an inferno. They can’t ever put out, she draws you in and you can’t help but know something powerful is there. 

“To be frank the Hippo game is superior in most ways.” Tatiana said this with zero emotion and Zuke moved his first pawn, a snort escaping his mouth. “It is. I’ve never played a game of that and left feeling less than elated.” She said the word but Zuke had trouble imagining her smiling. 

“You-”

“Yinu loves it.” Tatiana said to cut him off. “At times I have played babysitter to the girl and she has an….” A long sigh. “Immense….love of board games.” She moved a pawn. “The one where you build a trap for a little rodent, how a child is expected to play that game and not just build the trap is beyond me.” 

“Yeah I don’t think that game was ever played, just used as an excuse.” Zuke had no idea which piece to move next so he moved the same one. “The only board game with dusty dice.” 

“It’s amazing how you can miss the forest for the trees,” Tatiana agreed, moving another pawn. Zuke decided to move a knight, at least make her think he was thinking ahead. She nodded at that little move. “So...how are things?” 

Casual conversation with one of the most powerful people in the city. “Fine, I guess. Some people want to light me and May on fire and others want us to never stop shredding.” Zuke said. “We’re getting back on our feet.” He moves a piece and she moves her queen, Zuke is aware that’s a loaded gun. He moves another piece.

“Check.” Tatiana said taking a pawn and trapping his own king entirely. “Six moves. Hm, I somehow thought it would take more.” She didn’t sound upset, more surprised. “Scotch open is dangerous, a good bluff but I now know you’re a player.”

Zuke blinked a few times and Tatiana looked at him, her glasses sliding down her nose. “You have...no idea that you were playing one of the most iconic opening chess strategies in the last two hundred years….did you?”

“No.” Zuke said honestly and Tatiana smirked at that, sliding the pieces back to reset. “I just moved the horse man and the pawns a couple times.” He coughed, moved another pawn...but not the same one. “How are you?”

“Honestly? Better than I’ve felt in years.” Tatiana replied. “Not perfect but I don’t think any of us get to be perfect. Cutting back my hours and attempting an outreach program, it’s slightly surreal.” 

“It sounds good for you and the city.” Zuke said. “So….we’re not here to talk about each other are we?” He turned to a tapestry on the wall. Pink skin and white skin, a pair of solid gold eyes gazing out at them. “You want to talk about….Eve, right?” 

“Yes. I think we need to talk about one of the things we have in common.” She moved a knight. “We’re the only two people that Eve has accepted as having opinions that matter to any level greater than not at all.”

“She’s trying to get better about that.” Zuke said. “I mean...she’s getting better about everything.” 

“Hm.” Tatiana leaned back in her chair, slinging an arm over the back of it. Trying to look casual? “I will level with you Zuke I know literally every single fact about your relationship with Eve, she told me about them.” 

“Well I mean,” Zuke shrugged, “I don’t know what’s wrong with that-” Zuke said and Tatiana reached across the table to grab his forearm. 

“Zuke…” She swallowed. “Everything.” She said again. “You have met Eve….consider her filters. Consider what I am saying.” 

“I don’t think I-”

“She gave you hickeys exclusively on the right shoulder because you were worried about people seeing.” Tatiana said and Zuke went pale, he understood instantly. “You have an absolute fetish for legs.” She went on and Zuke wanted to evaporate into mist right now. “You let her use-”

“YEAH.” Zuke held up a hand. “Okay so you know a lot.”

“I know. Every. Single. Detail.” Tatiana said and Zuke couldn’t even look at her now, oh god this is what it feels like to be dissected right? “I know all the good and what she didn’t realize was bad, shall we say.” 

“Oh,” Zuke replied, “well this is awkward.”

“Not especially.” Tatiana shrugged her shoulders. “They’ve written numerous books, television shows and movies based on my escapades. I’m sure you could leaf through those and we would be on even footing. Vis A Vis bedroom antics.” Tatiana looked at him and he slid a pawn forward, not sure he was really here any more. 

“Alright.” 

“Zuke I’m not going to criticise your form.”

“Did she?”

“Zuke.” Tatiana looked at him. “We’re going to talk about the fact that you are engaging with a person who is both special to you and to me.” Tatiana moved a piece and Zuke did the same just to let her go on. “You care for her and I...care on her behalf, shall we say.” 

“I’m not sure I follow.” Zuke rubbed at his forehead, this was gonna be one of those sorts of awful days wasn’t it? 

“You care about Eve and, so do I but not nearly to that same extent. I enjoy Eve, she is passionate and dedicated and I can’t help but respect that.” Tatiana said flatly, she slid a piece forward and Zuke mirrored her. “She is however untenable in her current state.”

“I’m not sure I’m with you on that one.” Zuke replied. “Sure she’s...a little hard to get on with but with a bit of effort it can be done.” The way Tatiana’s eyes narrowed told him he was off base. “Okay so...what? She’s….not something.” 

“I struggle to say she’s even human.” Tatiana said and Zuke must have sneered at that because she held up a hand for peace. “Eve for reasons neither of us can understand, intuit or explain has powers that defy the natural order of things.” 

“You used to be on fire all the time, forever.” Zuke said and Tatiana looked at him. “I’m just saying you’re a kettle singed awful black.” 

“The power of the Qwaza affects every creator who gathers enough of it. Minor alterations, mutations and enhancements. NSR technology benefits from it immensely, why do you think Subatomic’s powers are so showy at times?” Tatiana watched Zuke shrug. 

“I didn't, I kinda just accepted it.” 

“Amazing.” Tatiana said moving a piece. “Check.” She went on and Zuke looked down. “Reset.” She moved pieces back around and Zuke did the same. “I play chess with Eve as well, do you know why?”

“Because you’re very good at it and we’re awful at it.” 

“You are both terrible, yes.” Tatiana said and Zuke moved a pawn forward. “But that is not the primary reason. I am attempting to...box Eve in.” 

“I…...what?” Zuke asked. 

“Eve’s abilities are...let’s be blunt, immense and scary and awe inspiring.” Tatiana said drumming her fingers and thinking. Obviously not over the next move. “You’ve...experienced things with Eve.” Tatiana said and Zuke looked to one side. “You’ve seen the whole realm thing and the shapes and the tunneling realities and the non-euclidian exhibitions.” Tatiana went on. 

“I was umm real up close to those.”

“Ah yes her sublimation of you.” Tatiana said and Zuke looked at her. “She told me, like I said she tells me things. What was that like? Being...part of Eve?” 

“I wasn’t part of her, I was….just...within her.” Zuke said and exhaled. “It was confusing but...not unpleasant.” He rubbed at the side of his head. He still wasn’t sure how to explain that entire escapade, some days he’d find white sand in his shoes and realize it wasn’t as much a dream as he hoped. 

“I understand she’s invited you for...return visits.” Tatiana said and Zuke nodded, not looking at her. “Oh don’t be embarrassed.” Tatiana said. “It’s very strange but I’m sure in her own way it’s an immense compliment. She was glowing when she told me about it.” 

“Don’t say it like that.” Zuke begged, rubbing his forehead and trying to dissolve into seafoam. 

“Zuke you’ve had sex with her.” Tatiana said and Zuke’s whole face screwed up. “You don’t have to act like you’re some pure maiden with me. I am a rock star,” she dragged out the words, “I have done things to people in this town that bed frames will never forget.”

“Oh come on.” Zuke stood up from his chair and turned around. “I REALLY don’t wanna talk about Kul Fyra’s conquests.” 

“SHAME.” Tatiana said flatly and laughed. Zuke looked at her, nobody would believe him that this conversation happened. Was that why he was here? TO engage in a topic nobody would ever believe happened? “It’s not sexual, it's intimate and there is a difference, Zuke grow up.”

“I know,” Zuke snapped sitting back down and clasping his hands in front of his face, “it’s just weird.” Zuke exhaled. “It's important to her and I want to be there for her but it’s…” He bit down on his lip and looked to one side. 

“Oooh you’re still in love.” Tatiana said. 

“I’m not,” Zuke lied, “it’s just...been a while.” Zuke said again. “Being...with Eve...in Eve...she’s...touchy.” He said feeling like a five year old. “She’s very touchy and she doesn’t need Zuke to be all hot and bothered but she needs Zuke to help her out or listen to her or yell about art crap with her.” 

“But your hair is not the only thing that’s blue.”

“Everytme you say stuff like that I feel like I’m having a stroke.” Zuke touched his forehead to make sure he wasn’t about to catch fire. 

“Again I was once a rockstar, your college experimentation is like quaint hand holding to me.” Tatiana said. “Yes even the ones with all the arms and the eyes and the….god look at the colours you can turn.” 

“Eve told you every single thing.” Zuke said his voice cracking around the edges. “Oh my god she told you every single thing.” Zuke muttered, rubbing at his eyes. He was about to wake up in his bed, this was a punishment for eating that pancake with Mayday’s name on it!

“She did.” Tatiana leaned back. “But yes chess. It is a wonderful game but do you want to know something? It is a game that has an edge.” Tatiana went on. “I believe there’s a complicated formula that denotes that by the end of a move- which is you do a thing and then I do a thing. By the end of the first move there could have been 900 possible moves.” 

“That’s a lot.” 

“That’s one move. By the fourth turn the number of possible moves has...well it’s the number seven followed by about eight zeroes. A high level chess game is often about forty moves.” Tatiana said. “Can you imagine how vast a number that is? Chess is a game that seems infinite, impossible, inescapably vast but...it has an edge Zuke. It has taken players years and years but it’s there. An edge to the endless game.” 

“You...want Eve to get that she has an edge?” Zuke replied, rubbing at his cheek. “I mean...I can get that.” 

“No Zuke, I pray that we become the edges.” Tatiana told him. “We are to be the limits and the cage in which Eve must become comfortable. “Tatiana shook her head. “An awful sentence but I fear for the girl and her powers as much as I fear them. WE have to impose rules and limits on her before...she decides there are none.” 

“Now hold on.” Zuke said flatly. “I mean she’s not gonna do anything dangerous.”

“Zuke I understand your patience and it is an admirable asset, lord knows it has carried you far.” Tatiana said. “But you’ve been with Eve more than anyone else. You’ve seen what she can do and she has done it to you. She has trapped you in other realms, she has smothered you in an affection so clinging you abandoned your personality to be with her and she has, let us not put too fine a point on it, consumed you utterly.” 

“Yeah...but….she's learning from that.”

“That’s what I want Zuke. I want her to learn from that. But I also fear it happening on a scale she is not ready for or in a way I can’t save her from.” Tatiana leaned back. “I have had nightmares in which she becomes fascinated with the stars and becomes a glowing ball of light and obliterates us all in a single instant. Do not tell me it cannot happen, none of us know what she can do. Without Qwaza she was reshaping the world to her whims and now….NOW how much bigger do you think she is now?” 

“Well based on what I’ve seen,” Zuke scratched at his chin, “not small. I just...don’t feel comfortable trapping her.” 

“It’s not a trap it’s being careful. Besides of the two of us, your job is a lot easier.” Tatiana said. “I’m the little devil on one side that says DO NOT do this, DO NOT try that...I am the voice that stifles everything but her artistic expression.” Tatiana said. “I keep her focused and aimed at her current projects, I’ll fund anything and everything.”

“So...what am I the little angel?” Zuke said and Tatiana nodded. 

“You’re the little angel that tells her how great other people are and how she needs to let us in and not view people as props. Because you might have survived Eve, scars a plenty young man but you can’t tell me everyone would have.” Tatiana said and Zuke doesn’t respond. “You don’t worry about her like that?”

“I trust her.” Zuke says. “She told me I’m safe and I trust her. I believe she can be that way with others...it’s just finding the time.” 

“Were you ever afraid of her?” Tatiana asked. “Besides the fire incident, ever?” 

“For a while….I had bad dreams about her. When she was becoming big with NSR.” Zuke looks out the window at the city. “The billboards would all watch me and one day I thought I’d come home and find her waiting for me.” Zuke’s mouth twitched. “She’d be there and we’d talk and eventually she’d...steal me away.” He laughs at that. “I don’t mean like...romantically or anything or maybe I do.” 

He drums his fingers on the desk. “She’d just sweep me up and take me off with her, like I was some accessory.” Zuke shook his head. “She’d put me in a studio somewhere and she’d….work on me.” Zuke drummed faster. “She’d put me in these scenarios, these rooms, these made up places that were just her and she’d make me run through them again and again and again and again until I did it right. Until Zuke went away and what was left was what she wanted me to be in college.” 

He exhales through his nose. “But that’s not Eve or Nadia, that's some dream, some figment of her. My flimsy arthouse projections of what I feel I deserve for deserting her, my student film revenge girlfriend who traps me in her hidden penthouse and breaks me into her little suit and tie servant.” He snorted. “Well with Eve it would be a lot more avant garde than suit and tie.”

“You’d have to wear a fruit bowl all the time.” Tatiana said and Zuke snorted at that. “She’d make you change your name to ZEE.” At that he wheezed out loud. “No wait THE ZEE.”

“Oh god stop.” Zuke said. “I can see it, I can see it.” He shook his head. “Oh god I’m whipped.” Zuke muttered. “I don’t wanna see her as just a girl I’m in love with but...at times she’s just...oh she’s..” he settles for a low groan. Tatiana reaches across the table to pat him on the shoulder a few times. “I want to help her and spending time with her does that. She doesn’t want...physical stuff she wants...intimate stuff. She’s touch starved I think.” 

“Oh she’s touch ravenous.” Tatiana agreed. “She wants a companion Zuke and I’m not the one she’s picked to be it. You get that job. Let her be...selfish with you, go places with her and do things with her.”

“I kinda have a band and friends and stuff.” Zuke said. “Not that’s not part of that. But Mayday would be a good buddy, they’d get along great.” 

“If you can make that happen, do it. Get Eve to see other people beyond static figures and battery power for the city and I’ll be content.” Tatiana said. “Also you’re a rockstar don’t embarrass the profession with oneitis. Go out there and….do the rockstar thing.”

“Are you just saying these things because you know nobody in the world will believe you said them?” Zuke asked and Tatiana shrugged her broad shoulders. “Helpful. So what...are we bi-weekly chess buddies to talk about our adult friend as if she’s a toddler.”

“I think we can settle on the occasional phone call. I’m not babying her. I’m just making sure she doesn’t take a passing fancy and demolish the city by accident.” Tatiana muttered. “She briefly wanted to take up chainsaw art and you would not believe the sheer investment it took to keep her from reducing Naturia to sawdust.” 

“She gets...into ideas.” Zuke said as he stood up. “Next time we do this...Hungry Hungry Hippos. I’m better at that, I’ll put up more of a fight.” 

“I’ll be sure to put a hand behind my back,” Tatiana said, waving a hand for Zuke to depart. Once gone Tatiana moved back to her desk proper, leaving the chess board half played and abandoned. She looked at the looming pattern of Eve against the wall and rubbed at her forehead with a sigh. 

“He has no idea...what you did to him does he?” She asked the tapestry, it remained as ever silent but alive. Across the outside of the tapestry was a tally count, dozens of little scratches and shapes and Tatiana had long counted up the number, the exact number of days she imagined Zuke had lost.”Oh I hope you tell that boy before he remembers. Not sure even he can let you get away with this one Eve.” 

The ride down the elevator is quiet and Zuke looks at the city outside, it used to look different a few years ago, didn’t it? There used to be a hotel over there that wasn’t there now. He stayed there for a while after running out of college. They had the strange music in the elevators and the staff all had this smile on their faces. 

The rooms were always comfy and no matter how often he heard doors close he was sure that he was the only person in that entire building. He was sure he was the only person in there, even when he sat with the girl who ran the elevator and they spoke into the evening. Even when he met the lady at check in he was sure it was just him in that place. 

He was sure there was a hotel that used to be there, you could see it from just about everywhere. Right by the metro district. You couldn’t miss it. Maybe they tore it down, must have done it’s not there now. 

Hotels were unreal places. Built for habitation but not living, liminal spaces. A thousand repeating rooms but one belonged to you for a time and you left a little bit of yourself behind in that place after you left it. A home away from homes, just for a while. He wondered if he left anything behind in that place, an old shirt, an old drum stick or something else. He decided to take a walk and try and find that old hotel. Quiet the beating in his mind that he could hear. 

Oh that’s why….he remembered the place. The girl at the desk she always called him, it was silly, Mr Zee.


End file.
